Offshore ocean fishing heating up

Offshore ocean fishing is heating up just in time for those early summer vacation trips.

Recent reports indicate bluefin and yellowfin tuna have been spotted and caught at 170 miles from San Diego, and yellowtail are biting on kelp paddies closer than that. The bluefin are in the 40- to 100-pound class and the yellowfin are averaging 15- to 25 pounds. There also was one dorado caught, an indication that the water is warming outside.

Yellowtail, barracuda and calico bass continue to set the pace for inshore anglers. Anglers are reporting clear, clean blue water inside that looks a lot like water conditions for tuna offshore, reported Corey Sanden of MC Swimbaits.

The New Seaforth had incredible fishing Sunday, with 61 yellowtail and 30 barracuda along with a mix of bass and rockfish on the morning half-day run and 48 yellowtail, 50 barracuda and a mix of rockfish and bass on the afternoon half-day run. The yellowtail are gobbling fly-lined sardines and surface iron.

On the freshwater front, that stocking of hybrid striped bass has been postponed at Lake Jennings, officials there announced. The supplier had an import permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, but he lacked a stocking permit, according to lake officials. They remain “hopeful” that the DFW will allow the planting of the hybrid bass.

One of the top catches last week was Bob Bowden’s 40.7-pound blue catfish he caught on a bluegill lure at Lower Otay Lake. The launch ramp at Lake Hodges is listed as “poor – own risk.” El Capitan is on its summer schedule. Fishing and general boating only on Mondays, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, fishing, general boating and water contact Thursday through Sunday. For the lake’s boat capacity hotline, call (619) 668-2770.

Patti Apted reports a wild weekend for wildlife at Lake Sabrina, in the Eastern Sierra west of Bishop. She said four deer were spotted on the dam, looking out into the area where the lake used to be (it has shrunk due to low runoff and takeout by L.A. Department of Water and Power. But the biggest critter was the one they didn’t see. A black bear made a midnight run on the outside freezer and ransacked it for some substantial amounts of chow, Apted said. The bear’s overnight take-out order included 12 hamburgers buns, a loaf of wheat bread, four loaves of white bread and a bucket of butter.

Looking for something different to do this summer? How about a high-adventure zipline canopy tour in the San Gabriel Mountains? The Wrightwood-based Navitat Canopy Adventures is offering the tours. The MountainView Zipline Tour includes zips with vistas of the San Gabriels, three short hikes in the Ponderosa and Jeffrey pines and two “blood-pumping, free fall rappels. The tour lasts approximately 2½ hours and costs $99 per person. There’s also an All Day Zip Package at $195 per person. Check www.navitat.com or call (855) 628-4828.